all geological data at your command

Overview

SubsurfaceViewer – a GIS for the geological subsurface

SubsurfaceViewer® is a Geological Information System especially designed for the visualization and analysis of geological data of the near-surface range as well as for the creation of structure- and parameter models. All kinds of subsurface data can be visualized and analyzed in their three-dimensional distribution (SubsurfaceViewer XL). With SubsurfaceViewer MX, you can comfortably create structure models of quaternary and tertiary unconsolidated sediments, and interpolate rock properties.

Comparatively, this powerful software is well affordable and almost self-explanatory, so it can be used effectively wherever maximum transparency and flexibility with visualization and analysis of the subsurface are necessary – particularly in the areas of location management, identification of water conservation areas, groundwater management and geological surveying. With SubsurfaceViewer, you intuitively create flexible subsurface views that hold all geological data ready for visualization at any time. The descriptive and flexible graphical representations of subsurface views serve directly as the basis for decisions and they are also immediately comprehensible to laypeople.

SubsurfaceViewer is a universal tool: It lets you display all geological information of a subsurface area – boreholes, cross-sections, geological layers, faults and parameters - including the accompanying maps - in all possible combinations, in 2D and 3D mode, to the requests of the moment, depending on what is wanted and which views are relevant at the time. The system grants a comprehensive overview of the whole subsurface project area. All geological objects, independently of one another are at your command, ready to be visualized and analyzed at any time.

A special feature of SubsurfaceViewer is the possibility of publishing your subsurface visualization and analysis results: Every digital subsurface model is archived to a project file and can be passed on to other users: Each party who is supposed to have the published digital model available just have to download the free-of-charge SubsurfaceViewer Reader from INSIGHT's website at www.SubsurfaceViewer.com and then import the subsurface project file, and immediately, the complete structure model, including all visualization and analysis functions of SubsurfaceViewer are available to them. This option of publication does not create additional costs. It opens up new opportunities for the cooperation of all parties involved in a subsurface project. With SubsurfaceViewer Reader, you use state-of-the-art technology for the presentation of your digital geological results.

Initially, SubsurfaceViewer has proved its worth in the range of research projects for water management, geological surveys and site investigation. Now, the software is in practical use for subsurface areas of all sizes - individual locations as well as very large areas: Engineering firms, geological surveys all over the world and, for example, the biggest water supplier in Germany, the Oldenburg-Ostfriesische Wasserverband (OOWV) in Brake, use SubsurfaceViewer for their groundwater management. The TNO in Utrecht (which also includes the geological survey of the Netherlands) as well as the Department of Environment, Nature and Energy (LNE) in Brussels (Belgium) use SubsurfaceViewer for the provision of their nationwide subsurface models.

Functionality

SubsurfaceViewer® is designed to visualize subsurface matters in a most comprehensive way: It allows geologists to produce, on the fly, a potentially unlimited number of views on geological data and digital subsurface models. This is possible, because all different kinds of subsurface data can be combined and represented in any number of combinations.

The object-based philosophy of the SubsurfaceViewer distinguishes it from other applications that just enable the user to produce single images or maps for printouts. SubsurfaceViewer provides the geologist with access to all geological objects of the subsurface (like drilling profiles, cross-sections, DTMs, geologic layers, etc.), so you can, at any time, select, combine and display all objects under various aspects; from different angles, at any level of enlargement, etc. You can, of course, look at and analyse each individual object in the way you desire.

The fundamental control of all information is done via the 2D-map window, where all objects are always present and where all their properties can be managed. You can integrate drilling profiles with their descriptive lithology data and geophysical measurement data. The system integrates digital elevation models in the form of grids that represent the ground level surface as well as other surfaces, for example, the groundwater table.

The representation of surfaces can also be made with triangulated networks. Maps may be loaded two dimensionally, as images. Layer information can be loaded in the form of top and bottom surfaces of layers as Grids and TINs that together make up the layer edges. VOXEL models and geological faults can be integrated, too. The SubsurfaceViewer system can load all model data that, all together, describe a subsurface area completely, including site investigation data.

Geological maps and vertical sections as well as hypothetic drill logs can be derived from structure models and these kinds of data can directly be sent to the 3D window, so you have an immediate 3D-view of the complete subsurface area. You can even transform these views into stereographic projections via high tech 3D television sets that allow complete, real three-dimensional representations. The same effects are available if you look at your 3D anaglyphic images with red cyan glasses.

All individual objects are controllable in the way they are represented on the screen. Units for example can be represented as solid shells, but also in the form of contour lines, 3D-meshes or thickness maps. Therefore, objects can be displayed in various ways to explore different aspects. All parts in the two-dimensional windows automatically receive a reference to be able to create 3D-views. All this happens on the fly. So every modification of object properties immediately causes the corresponding change in all views, thus making it possible for the geoscientist to take advantage of the real time functionality during discussions and presentations.

In the SubsurfaceViewer cross-section window, the vertical view is represented. The geoscientist can create sections here to allow insight into the subsurface. He can do this by simply placing drilling profiles next to one another and extend this view by adding sections lines with digital terrain models or other surfaces to the view; or he can add existing models and make them visible in the sections, in combination with either VOXEL-models that describe the subsurface properties or with sections created beforehand in analogue form, which the system can also integrate by georeferencing them.

There is the export function for your images. You can use normal images, but at a much higher resolution than displayed on the computer screen. There is a world file for immediate use of your images in other GIS environments. You may also export your models into different formats, in order to further process them with other software products - in the range of GIS you may use shape export formats - or you can export individually combined surfaces into grids and TINs for groundwater flow modeling.

You can easily make videos of your 3D-scenes with the video functionality, which allows you to show the model views you selected for your presentation in the form of moving and turning 3D video-scenes. The video functionality is important, if you want to automatically transform your 3D scenes into a ready to play video that you can hand over to your client. This way, your client can see all the different views of the subsurface you want to show him, but he does not have to possess SubsurfaceViewer to do so, for the program videos are in a standard format.

The digital video is also an alternative to the many pictures of a Powerpoint presentation, because you can always use the video and access the certain scenes that you want to show, but you do not have to run the program.

SubsurfaceViewer Reader

You can publish your SubsurfaceViewer structure models and/or all of your project data! Any information of a subsurface investigation project, like borehole data, maps, geological unit data, properties, shape files, DTMs, etc. can be compiled in one SubsurfaceViewer® project file. Thus, you can publish a comprehensive view of potentially all of your data, represented in all dimensions. Publishing this project file and/or structure model means that you can make it available to other users, who just have to download the free SubsurfaceViewer Reader from the internet to be able to watch your investigation results in the context of all existing project data. Instead of supplying clients or other users with the usual pile of a limited number of printouts, you can supply them with one file that allows any view on your project data.

There are diverse options of how you can publish your project file: You can put a download link on the internet, so that potentially everybody interested in your investigation results can download it. Or you may distribute the project file on a CD or memory stick that you send to a certain user group only. You can also restrict the download option to a private user group. International companies with many branches can make their subsurface project available exclusively to members of their company, no matter where they work. The grade of restriction that you choose for your project publication is up to you.

Publishing their subsurface projects and structure models has become indispensable for many different users: to state surveys, because publishing helps them to fulfil their responsibilities of public administration: Up to all of a countries territory can be made available to the public. To engineering offices it is important, because publishing their projects is not only the most modern way of showing subsurface data, but also the best way of advertising their capabilities. Site investigation results can be made available to clients by publishing a project alternatively to delivering a restricted, non-updatable number of plots.

SubsurfaceViewer XL

With SubsurfaceViewer® XL - you are free to create your own project that you can study, modify and exchange with other SubsurfaceViewer XL-users. You can analyse and visualize your site investigation data and make structure models, and you can prepare your projects for publication.

Especially with big research projects, where the analysis of geological and hydro-geological models is made by project participants of several distant organizations, SubsurfaceViewer has proved to be the tool of choice: SubsurfaceViewer can visualize very clearly almost all data and parameters of a geological model within the context of different specific issues. The option of importing additional geological data allows accurate and up-to-date analyses on the subsurface model that is digitally available to all project participants any time.

Within the scope of site investigation, creating a project is basically bringing together single geological objects. Just load DTMs, borehole data, shape files or geological object data, and use SubsurfaceViewer XL to assemble subsurface views. To do so, there are 'add objects' buttons in the menu.

Use SubsurfaceViewer XL also to create and analyse structure models. These may also have been interpolated by other applications, like SURFER, ARC GIS, GOCAD, etc. SubsurfaceViewer XL calculates composites from the lower surfaces of layers usually available and provides them for further analysis and visualization (see Functionality). The lower surfaces are available either as triangulated networks (TINs) or as Grids. SubsurfaceViewer is hybrid, i.e., it can process both TINs and Grids.

With all its functionality, SubsurfaceViewer XL is a mighty software tool for geoscientists. It will enhance your geological work and make it easier at the same time.

SubsurfaceViewer MX

SubsurfaceViewer® MX allows geologists to create subsurface models on the basis of geological and geophysical investigation data. It is ideal for the visualization and the modeling of all kinds of geological data in the range of the shallow and medium deep subsurface, especially of unconsolidated sediments.

The concept of SubsurfaceViewer MX is that geologists can watch and create every piece of the subsurface within the three-dimensional context of all available project data from the very start of the modeling process. They are not modeling noncontextual individual surfaces. To geologists, modeling with SubsurfaceViewer MX is connecting borehole data in cross-sections as usual while taking into account all the geological background information of the generic development of the area at the same time.

Geologists have wanted to visualize their investigation data and results in the form of three-dimensional subsurface models for a long time, for virtually accessible digital subsurface models have proved to be superior to maps. With SubsurfaceViewer MX, this modern technology is available to geologists now, because the program allows every view on model data on the fly. There no longer is a restriction to a limited number of geological maps and printed profiles sections when you want to show your ideas of subsurface matters.

SubsurfaceViewer MX is made especially for geologists, not primarily for modeling experts, who usually do the modeling. It is a software tool that every geologist can use in his office in order to get superior subsurface modeling results. Supporting the geologist from the start by a three-dimensional view, SubsurfaceViewer MX leaves the experts all freedom to apply their own scientific understanding and interpretation to their subsurface models. It combines the geologist´s expertise with the immediate 2D- and 3D-visualization of his modeling results in the corresponding three-dimensional context.

Friction losses owing to the need of communicating the geologist´s interpretation of the subsurface situation to modeling specialists are avoided, if geologists themselves create their subsurface models. They are the ones who know the area and its geological history best, so only they can create subsurface models that mirror their scientific understanding of an area. As a matter of course, these kinds of models are superior to the ones based on processed geometric data only.

The modeling process consists of the creation of networked cross-sections and the definition of the distribution boundaries by the geologist and the calculation of shells deriving from it. You can also interpolate single surfaces with the integrated interpolation and triangulation technique, in order to create your own interpretation of elevation models.

Maintenance and Support (including updates) for the first year after the purchase date is included in the purchase price.

Maintenance and Support (including updates) for one year per license = 375,00 €

SubsurfaceViewer® MX

First license = 7.400,00 €

2nd license = 7.030,00 € (- 5 %)

3rd and further licenses = 6.660,00 € (-10 %)

Maintenance and Support (including updates) for the first year after the purchase date is included in the purchase price.

Maintenance and Support (including updates) for one year per license = 750,00 €

Research License SubsurfaceViewer MX:

For Geological Surveys - with up to 4 software activations = 3.400 € per year -

Maintenance and Support (including updates) is included in this price.

Single Academic License SubsurfaceViewer MX for academics and students who demonstrably work at a geo-scientific institute = 300,00 € per year

Maintenance and Support (including updates) is included in this price.

Education License SubsurfaceViewer MX for use in university classes with up to 10 software activations = 990,00 € per year (latest version, no maintenance and support).

SubsurfaceViewer® - Reader

SubsurfaceViewer Reader is free-of-charge. You can download the software from this website (see Support/Downloads).

Software Maintenance and Support entitles the license holder to all SubsurfaceViewer updates free of charge and to the use of our E-Mail support for all technical questions related to SubsurfaceViewer XL and MX throughout the duration of the Software Maintenance and Support term.